Confession time! When I was about six, I remember my parents going out one Saturday morning to run errands. I was left home with my older sister and brother. Trouble. It wasn't long before Christmas, so there were presents already under the tree. We started peeking. My grandparents used that foil paper. Tape comes easily off foil. I became quite an expert at peering around tape, peeking into the folds of the paper to see the label on the box. I managed to slide one curious box out of the paper. See what happens when you don't tape the paper to the box? Inside was a pair of fluffy pink slippers. I tried them on, walked around the house in them. When it was time to put them back, the paper seemed to shrink and I couldn't slide the box back inside. Panicked, I looked to my sister. She shrugged mildly and said, "Guess you'll get in trouble." I bawled! I suppose she decided she'd get in trouble too and she managed to help me put the box back inside the paper and reseal the end. Whew! Crisis averted!

But then another box happened to get jostled and banged up under the tree. No wonder! I used to rearrange the packages, counting them again and again. My mother noticed the ripped end and put the present on top of the refridgerator. She said, "I may just send that package back if you've been peeking!" How could I tell her it was the ONLY present under the tree I didn't know what was inside? So I found myself staring at that present, praying it wouldn't disappear, that Santa wouldn't take it back with him to the North Pole.

Now I don't do any of that anymore! Really! I promise! Okay, if you were to bring me a present in one of those bags with the tissue paper sticking out of it, well, then I might not be able to help myself. But really, I don't peek anymore.

But it does make it perfect, since I love presents early, that my book has been spotted early this year! So now I'm going around to all the bookstores in the DFW area peeking on their shelves. By the way, here's a hint: you'll find it in the 'christian fiction' section. If you spot it, please let me know!

Want to take a guess what was inside that box that got stuck on top of the fridge?